Site Downtime 12/5: Please Read .... or I Will GRRR at You

[Imeriel]

Here are the facts thus far ...

1 -- This site is comprised of two main softwares ... SMF (forums) and MkPortal (portal)
2 -- SMF has gone forward in development.  There is a newer more secure (code-wise) sleeker version available.
3 -- Mkportal has not gone forward in development ... and it is not a sure thing that when they do that they will continue to support SMF bridging (integration).

What does this all really affect or mean?  Well, certainly, I won't be doing software overhauls every time a new version is available ... which is the whole point.  I'll be going to a much better developmentally supported set.

What do we lose if I do this?  Nothing.  We'll still have a gallery, we'll still have blogs, we'll still have the exact same forum, we'll still have the exact same calendar ... etc.  Membergroups stay the same, all of that.  Some of the submittable links and quotes pages might take some work, but its doable, I think. Even the overall look and appearance of the site wouldn't be changing unless it was asked for.  The database and forums would remain exactly the same.

Advantages are ... better developmental support, more efficient site overall.  Easier skinning support, easier maintenance.  Increased code security and I ~think~ a happier healthier database.  Better modification support as well.

Disadvantages are ... change.  I know people don't like change.  It's a survivable change, though, I think.  Also, there would be a scheduled  "maintenance downtime" of around 6+ hours in which no one would be able to reach anything on the site at all ... whilst I do what needs doing.  Now, whilst I'll be turning the site "off" during all this, there is a tiny tiny tiny possibility (like 1 in 500K) that someone's wierdly formatted bookmark or private message notification might get them on a live page during the process.  This would not be good.  So preferentially, just don't visit the site that day.  I have already scheduled this on the Event Calendar, so as to give folks plenty of time.

Another slight disadvantage is that whilst  blogs will still be available, they won't be quite the same.  I'll have to do some funky woojoo import which I am not sure will work.  Toward that end, I will be saving the data in complete html format, zipping it up for folks and emailing it to you.

Rest assured, I've already discussed the whole thing with management ... we think we're doing the right thing.

And it will be nice to read php and css files in English again .... (as opposed to Italian  )

And here's the date of Downtime, for folks not wanting to click on the Calendar:  December 5, 2006.   From 8am to 8pm. 

[Alwynn]

eastern?

[Imeriel]

Individual local time works fine.  I made the window fairly huge to accomodate for that

[Lyrima]

Wow, thank you Ime.

I'll pull my blog entries and back them up here and paste them into whatever new thing you get going.

*snuggles our magical, magnificent  *

[Alwynn]

Adeste lives in Koalaland!

[Solerei]

Sounds good! *goes crosseyed thinking about parsing .php in Italian*

[Peri]

I didn't read it

(ok I did but I still want to be Grrrred at)

[PinkRose]

Peri, you little minx.

[Namae Nai]

It's ok Peri, I think we all can admit there there's a part of all of us that would enjoy being Grrrr'ed at by Ime.

[PinkRose]

 

[Anaris]

 

[Grimaldo]

 


Definitely.

[Imeriel]

*blink blink*

omg

*ponders*

Ok, Peri ... one of these days I'll record me growling and send it to you

[PinkRose]

Not before you send it to me.

[Alirrin]

She can post it as a wav file on the board so we can all enjoy it.   

[Imeriel]

Burmpy burmping as a reminder ....

[Grimaldo]

Even though the site is back up, can I get a "GRRR" anyway?

[Jezerai]

Um ... Something is wrong with the site!  I tried to log on and it wouldn't work and stuff!  Do something!  Fix it!

*snickers behind her hand*

[Imeriel]

*tackles Bou and promptly sits on her*